Supporting means for vertical axis washing machine spinner baskets



I y 27, 1947 e. w. DUNHAM 2,4 1 5 SUPPORTING MEANS FOR VERTICAL AXIS WASHING MACHINE SPINNER BASKETS Filed April 9, 1943 s Sheets-Shed 1 Ifiventor George W Dunham b5 MZM His Attorney;

May 27, mm.

G. DUNHAM SUPPORTING MEANS FOR VERTICAL AXIS WASHING MACHINE SPINNER BASKETS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenbor'. George W Dunham, by Ji /v4. f. M

Filed April'9. 1943 His Attorney Patented May 27, 1947 SUPPORTING MEANS FOR VERTICAL AXIS WASHING MACHINE SPINNER BASKETS George W. Dunham, Westport, Comm, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York a Application April 9, 1943, Serial No. 482,417

v 2 Claims. l The present invention relates to washing ma chines of the type having adjacent washing and spinnin compartments in which clothes are respectively washed and centrifugally dried.

anism carried by the frame is transmitted directly to the legs.

The washing compartment l consists of a tub having a reduced portion H at the lower end tele- The object of my invention is t provide an 5 scoped within the part of the skirt formed by improved construction and arrangement inwash- Semi-Cylindrical Sections 6 and having a Shouling machines of this type, and for a consideradef seated on a rubber bead W 011 the up e tion of what I believe novel and my invention, edge of e ki The spinning compartment attention is directed to the following descrip- 2 conslsts of cylindrical shell having tion and the claims appended thereto. The tub stlfieningf flange telescoped Within the part structure disclosed is not claimed herein, it formof the skirt formed by semicynndrical sections 1 ing the subject matter of my divisional applicaand havmg shoulder resting on rubber tion, Serial No. 592,105, filed May 5, 1945. 5? 1 2: 212 gi i g 32m 3; 3 2

. an e s a y 0 In the accompanymg drawmgs' 1 1S a the upper end of the skirt to stiflen the same so perspective view of a washing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting skirt; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the upper end of the spinning compartment;

1 Fig. 4 is a sectional top plan view; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation; Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-45; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the agitator drive; Fig. 8 is a detail of the skirt reenforcement; Fig. 9 is a plan of the universal connection to the spinner basket; Fig. 10 is a plan of the universal connection to the spinne drive shaft; and Fig. 11 is a detail of the pump support.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a washing machine having adjacent washing and spinnin compartments l and 2 carried on a skirt 3 to which are aflixed. supporting legs 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the skirt is fabricated from two symmetrical pieces 5 each of which has semi-cylindrical sections '6 and I joined at opposite ends by welds 8 and connected at the center by a reenforcing member 9 (Fig. 8. This design permits the skirt may be made of lighter gage metal. On

the making of the skirt from sheet stock and eliminates the large and expensive forming dies heretofore in general use. The skirt sections 5 have integral tabs 8a which close the space between the skirt and the lower ends of the washing and spinning compartments.

Extending across and fixed at its ends to the skirt is a T-shaped frame comprising sections l 0 and I I. Opposite ends of section ill have arcuate flanges l2 bolted to reenforcing pads l3 fixed to the skirt. One end of the section II is bolted to the center of the section II] (Fig. 5) and the other end is provided with an arcuate flange It bolted to a reenforcing pad IS. The section ll extends beneath the reen forcing member 9 and is bolted thereto at it as shown in Fig. 8. The points of attachment of the frame'to the skirt are beneath the legs 3 so the weight of the mechthe side adjacent the tub, the shell 20 has a projecting portion 24 the arcuate end wall 25 of which is presented toward and conforms to the side wall of the tub. In the upper end of the shell is an annular trough having an outer section 26 provided with a projecting portion 2! which nests within 'the projecting portion 26 of the shell 20 and having cylindrical inner section 28 which closely fitswithin an upstanding wall 29 at the inner edge of the outer section 26. The wall 29 is above the normal liquid level in the trough so the section 28 serves primarily as a splash guard. The bottom of the trough slopes toward an opening 3|] at its lowermost part formed by a tab 3! struck out of the arcuate end wall of the projecting portion 21 adjacent, the bottom wall of the trough. The opening 30 registers with openings 32 and 33 in the tub and in the end wall 25 and with openings 34 and 35 in gaskets 3B and 31 respectively arranged between the tub and the outer surface of the wall 25 and between the inner surface of the wall 25 and the nesting projection 21 of the trough. When the nesting projections 24 and 21 are bolted to the side of the tub, the

shell 20 is fixed to the tub so the shell and tub constitute a rigid structural unit, the trough is securely supported in the upper end cf the shell, and the registerin openings 30, 32, 33, 34, and 35 form a drain from the trough to the tub which is preferably located at the desired liquid level in the tub. The upper end of the trough is enclosed by a cover member 38 seated on the upper edge of the shell 20 and having a flange 39 overlapping and projecting within the uppe outer edge of the trough. n

An auxiliary drain from the trough is provided by a standpipe 40 which extends up through one corner of the projection 24 and has its upper end slightlyabove the lowermost part of the opening connecting the trough and the tub. The upper end of the standpipe defines the maximum liquid level in the tub. The lower end of the standpipe is at all times connected to the inlet of a pump 4I pivotally supported between pivot pins 42 (Fig. 11) threaded in flanges 43 on the frame member II. By means of a spring 44 the pump is urged in a counterclockwise direction (Figs. 5, '7) so as to hold the pump drive pulley 45 against a pulley 46 on the shaft of a motor 41. The pump is continuously driven during the operation of the machine and tends to draw liquid from the trough and pump it through a drain hose 48. The pump inlet is connected to the bottom of the tub through a conduit 49 and a valve 58 controlled by a push rod i extending through a packing 52 in the tub end of the conduit 49. The push rod is biased by a spring 53 to the lowered position in which the valve 58 is closed and is raised by a lever 54 pivoted on a bracket 55 (Fig. 4) and extending out through a slot 56 in the skirt 3. The slot 58 has a notch 51 for holding the lever 54 in the lowered position in which the valve 58 is opened connecting the pump to the bottom of the tub.

In the tub is a bladed agitator 58 which is oscillated by a shaft 59 journaled in a tubular post 58 which is fixed in a boss ii on the frame member II and sealed at B2 to the bottom of the tub. Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 59 is a crank arm 63 connected to an eccentric strap 84 on an eccentric 65 integral with a pulley 88. The pulley is journaled on a stub shaft 8'! fixed in a boss 68 on the frame member II and is driven through a belt 89 by a pulley '18 on 'the motor shaft. With the above described mechanism the agitator will be continuously oscillated when the motor 41 is running. If desired, some arrangement may be provided whereby the agitator drive may be disconnected from the motor.

' In the spinning compartment is a spinner basket II having imperforate side walls flaring outward toward the top and terminating in a rim 12 which overlaps the inner wall 28 of the annular trough. Fixed to the top of the rim I2 is an annular flange 13 provided with radial indentations 14 which serve as centrifugal discharge openings. The flange 13 projects radially inward of the side walls of the spinner basket and serves as a guard ring which keeps the clothes within the spinner basket during centrifugal drying. Beneath the trough is a balance ring 15 arranged substantially opposite the center of gravityof I the spinner basket and of such proportions that the moment of inertia of the spinner basket about its axis of spin is equal to or greater than the moment of inertia of the spinner basket about a cross axis through its center of gravity.

The spinner basket is driven through a universal connection comprising a spring steel ring I6 (Fig. 9) having alternate points I'I bolted to the bottom wall of the spinner basket and intermediate points I8 bolted to arms I9 of a spider fixed the the upper end of a drive shaft 88. This universal connection to the spinner basket permits tilting of the spinner basket relative to its drive shaft 88 so as to neutralize unbalanced couple resulting from unequal distribution of clothes in the spinner basket. The unbalanced couple is equivalent to equal and opposite weights above and below the center of gravity of the spinner basket. Because the driving connection to the spinner basket is below its center of gravity, it is important that the moment of inertia of the spinner basket about its axis of spin be greater than the moment of inertia about a cross axis through its center of gravity. If the cross axis moment of inertia is greater than the moment of inertia about the axis of spin, the basket is dynamically unstable since it tends to rotate about the axis having the greater moment of inertia.

The spinner drive shaft 88 is journaled in a sleeve 8I by means of a tapered roller thrust bearing 82 and a sleeve bearing 83. Fixed to the sleeve BI is a semi-spherical stamping 84 which rests on a complementary spherical support 85 carrying friction members 86 which frictionally resist tilting of the sleeve. Tiltingof the sleeve from its central position is resiliently resisted by a rubber ring 81 arranged between a flange 88 on the stamping 84 and a flange 89 at the upper end of a cylinder 98. The supporting member 85 and the cylinder 98 are bolted to the upper surface of the frame member II. The stiifness of the rubber ring 81 is such that the critical speed of the spinner basket is substantially below its normal running speed. In the present construction the critical speed is of the order of 60 to 100 R. P. M., and the running speed is of the order of 1200 R. P. M. Since the rubber ring is relatively weak, the sleeve 83 tends to tilt to a position in which the spinner basket rotates about its center of gravity, thus neutralizing the effect of static unbalance. At speeds above the critical spinner basket. These gyroscopic vibrations are damped by the friction between the friction members 88 and the inner surface of the spherical member 84.

The spinner basket is driven through an intermediate shaft 9I having a universal connection at its lower end to a pulley 92 and a similar universal connection at its upper end to the spinner shaft 88. The universal connection to the spinner shaft 88 is illustrated in Fig. 18. It comprises a spring steel ring 93 having diametrically opposed tabs 94 bolted'to forked arms 95 at the upper end of the intermediate shaft 9| and having intermediate tabs 98 fixed to the ends of an arm 91 projecting from a hub 98 pinned to the spinner shaft 88. At the lower end of the intermediate shaft 9| is a similar universal joint connected between forked arms 99 and the pulley 92. The universal connection to the lower end of the spinner shaft 88 is at the center of the spherical surfaces 84 and 85 so that the upper end of the intermediate shaft Si is always at the same point.

The pulley 92 is journaled on a pin I88 fixed in the outer end of an arm I8I integralwith a sleeve I82 pivoted on a pin I83 depending from the frame member iI. Also pivoted on the pin I83 is a lever I84 projecting out through a slot I85 in the skirt 3 and having a toggle connection with the sleeve I82 comprising pins I86 and I8! and a compression spring I 88. As the lever I84 is moved on opposite sides of the center line of the toggle, the arm IN is pivoted so as to move the pulley either into engagement with the pulley 46 on the motor shaft or into engagement with an arcuate brake member I89 (Figs. 4 and 5) pivoted on a pin II8 fixed in a boss III depending from the frame member II. With the lever I 84 in the position illustrated in Fig. 4, the pulley 92 is in engagement with the brake I89. When the lever I84 is moved to the left, the pulley 92 is moved into engagement with the drive pulley 46. In the driving and braking positions the intermediate shaft 9| has a slight angularity which is permitted by the universal connections.

In the use of the machine the tub is filled with water to the level of the opening connecting the tub with the annular trough, and the drain hose 48 may be arranged to discharge to a drain. If the drain hose discharges to a drain the upper end of the standpipe 69 determines the maximum water level in thetub. Since the upper endof the standpipe, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is slightly out of line with the passage connecting the trough and tub, there is very little tendency for water to be splashed into the standpipe during oscillation of the agitator, and the liquid level in the tub will remain substantially constant during washing. At the conclusion of the washing operation the clothes are removed from the tub and loaded in the spinner basket H, and thelever W5 is moved from the braking position to the driving position. The liquid in the clothes is centrifugally discharged through the opening 19 int the trough surrounding the upper end of the spinner basket, and the bulk of the liquid caught in the trough drains back into the tub. A'small will be neutralized by the tilting of the spinner tion or precessionv will be damped by the friction betweenthe friction members 86 and the spherical surface 84. vibrations due to unbalanced distribution of clothes in the spinner basket are kept to a minimum. 'After the clothes have been ,centrifugally dried, the clothes may be rinsed by spraying clean water into the spinner basket .-either with-the spinner basketstationary or while it is rotating. The spray rinse water will be centrifugally discharged into the trough, and enough of the rinse water to replace that absorbed in the clothes willflowback into the tub through the passage connecting the trough with the tub. The balance of the rinse water will flow through the standpipe '49 to the pump and will be dis- By this arrangement the harmful charged to the drain. t the conclusion of the rinsing ,operation the tub accordingly will be filled'to the proper level with wash water. At

the end of the centrifugal drying operation the lever I04 is moved to the braking position illustrated in Fig. 4. and the spinner basket is'quickly brought to rest by the brake 109. When the washing is finished, the lever 59 is moved into the notch 51 at thelower end of theslot 55, raising the valve 50 and connecting the bottom of the tub to the pump so that the water in the tub is pumped to the drain.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. In a washing machine, a spinner basket, a drive shaft therefor, mean resiliently supporting the drive shaft and spinner basket for gyratory movement, a pulley, an intermediate shaft having universal connections with said pulley and said drive shaft, a driving pulley and a brake on opposite sides of said first pulley, and means for selectively moving'said first pulley into engagement with said driving pulley or said brake.

2. In a washing machine, a spinner basket rotatable on a vertical axis and having a diameter less than its depth, a vertical shaft, means yieldingly supporting the spinner basket on said shaft for universal tilting relative to its instantaneous axis of spin, means resiliently supporting said shaft for gyratory movement whereby the instantaneous axis of spin of the basket about the vertical axis passe through the center of mass of the basket, a balance ring fixed to the basket at said center of mass for making the moment of inertia of the basket, about a vertical axis greater than the moment of inertia about a horizontal axis through said ,center of mass, and means connected with the shaft for rotating it about its vertical axisf p GEORGE W. DUNHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

